| The Parachute
Regiment has been involved in many incidents in the
province but two stand out, the riots in January 1972
(Bloody Sunday) and Warrenpoint in 1979. .....On
Sunday, 30 January 1972 an illegal march began in the
Creggan and Bogside area of Londonderry which swelled to
some 3000 strong by the time (1530 hours) it reached a
security forces barrier. The marchers had been joined by
some 150 hooligans who stoned and threw CS gas at the
security forces with increasing violence as time went on.
1 PARA were ordered to mount an operation to arrest and
disperse this group in the course of which they came
under heavy small arms fire in the vicinity of Rossville
Flats. In the ensuing gun battle 13 male civilians were
killed. The Widgery Report exonerated the soldiers from
the IRA charges of firing indiscriminately at a crowd
running away from them and of opening fire before they
themselves were fired upon.
.....At Warrenpoin on 27 August 1979, 2 PARA
were caught in a double ambush and lost a company
commander and 15 other ranks.
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